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Subject: |
Climate Change and Plant Based Days in Schools. Items referred from the Council meeting held on the 25 March 2021 |
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Date of Meeting: |
14 June 2021 |
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Report of: |
Executive Lead Officer for Strategy, Governance & Law |
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Contact Officer: |
Name: |
Mark Wall |
Tel: |
01273 291006 |
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E-mail: |
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Wards Affected: |
All |
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FOR GENERAL RELEASE
1. SUMMARY AND POLICY CONTEXT:
1.1 To receive the following deputation which was presented at and referred from the full Council meeting held on the 25 March 2021.
2. RECOMMENDATIONS:
2.1 That the Committee responds to the deputation either by noting it or where it is considered more appropriate, calls for an officer report on the matter which may give consideration to a range of options and writes to the deputation spokesperson setting out the committee’s decision(s).It is recommended that the Committee note the Deputation and that there is report later on the agenda.
3.
CONTEXT /
BACKGROND INFORMATION
3.1 To receive the following deputation along with the extract from the council meeting which is detailed in appendix 1:
(1) Deputation concerning Climate Change and Plant Based School Days in Schools
Spokespersons Anna Cole / Alison Plaumer
“Animal agriculture and fishing industries are leading causes of deforestation, ocean dead zones, water pollution, biodiversity loss, and species extinction. Not only that, intensive animal farming poses has a significant threat for the development of new pandemics, and for furthered antibacterial resistance to emerge.”
· Enfield council has stopped serving meat at its council events
· Lewisham council has voted to provide exclusively plant-based options at theirs.
· Leeds council have taken measures to introduce one meat-free day and another fully plant-based day per week across 182 schools.
Our request
We
request that B&H Council implement a carefully managed
transition to at least 2 plant-based days in all state-run schools
as soon as is practically possible. We also request that all
council run events be plant based (post pandemic) plus any other
council run establishments (e.g. day centres etc ).
In
addition, we also request that B&H Council lobby central
government to revise the current National food standards for school
children in line with sustainability targets, so they include up to
date scientific evidence, such as reducing the amount of animal
based foods, and increasing plant based foods to effectively reduce
personal carbon footprints.
We are a small number of signatories who represent a growing number of residents frightened of the approaching climate chaos and want to do everything in our power to help reduce the impact for future generations.
Additional / supporting evidence
Please see below a small collection of evidence, from the overwhelming amount of evidence that supports this request.
1/ Climate emissions from food
A 2018 Oxford study stated that the biggest change we can all make to reduce our environmental impact is to adopt a plant-based diet
Schools need plant-based day (soilassociation.org)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lrJYTsKdUM&feature=youtu.be
The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health - EAT Knowledge (eatforum.org)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19C8-Zw-ScQDEMK0rvgPEkj8w8rtD9sCz/view?usp=drivesdk
2/ Children’s health
Lots of studies cite the negative health consequences of animal produce, please see a selection below;
The consumption of LDL cholesterol, only found in animal based foods, contributes to development of atherosclerosis. A Harvard Nurse’s Health study, showed that consuming the amount of cholesterol found in a single egg a day, appeared to cut a woman’s life short as much as smoking 5 cigarettes a day for 15 years. Studies also show that atherosclerosis begins in childhood, with nearly all western children as young as 10 being found with fatty streaks in their arteries, the level of which is directly correlated to the amount of LDL cholesterol found in their diet. Inflammation and stiffening of the arteries occurs within minutes of consuming the bacterial endotoxins found in animal products, predisposing children to the development of arterial occlusion and insulin resistance. The World Health Organisation categorises processed meat as a class 1 carcinogen and another Harvard health study found a single serving of processed meat a day increased a person’s risk of diabetes by 51%.
Additionally, there is no strong link between milk consumption and bone health, in fact scientific evidence points to the opposite, that increased dairy consumption is linked to osteoporosis and hip fractures. A 2020 study revealed that consuming one glass of milk a day increased a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by 50% and 2-3 cups increased risk by 80%.
The current School Food Standards Guide require ‘a portion of meat or poultry on three or more days each week & oily fish once or more every three weeks.’ The reason given is that this provides ‘protein and essential minerals, including iron and zinc. Oily fish provides omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A and D’. Similarly, the standards say that dairy products should be available on a daily basis as they are ‘a rich source of energy, protein, calcium, vitamin A and riboflavin’.
As you know these can all be found in plant based foods, and the same guideline. We are lobbying to change this outdated guidance.
3/ BAME community
In addition, it is estimated 65% of the world’s population are lactose intolerant, the majority of whom are of BAME descent. As such, there is an inherent racism to have national food standards that, if followed, would make the majority of people of colour ill.
Plant based foods suit all diet types, as well as religious dietary guidelines e.g. halal
4/ Local Brighton community / parents
Lots of Brighton’s vegan parents want this to happen in schools (Please see recent campaign by a Brighton mum) Plant-powered Mum Launches Schools Campaign For Vegan-inclusion | Vegan Life Magazine .
I have a petition supporting this on the council website
5/ What children want
“People’s Climate Vote”, UN Development Programme, 27th Jan 2021
86% of young people (under 18) in the UK believe climate change is a global emergency.
Of the people that said climate change is a global emergency, 59% said the world should do everything necessary and urgently in response.
Plus 43% of people in the UK, said in this report, they believe we should promote plant-based diets to tackle the climate crisis
6/ Resilience in a changing world
Children learn habits at a young age.
Given the worlds resources have been, and are dwindling since 2008, learning to eat whole food plant based food as a much larger portion of daily food intake is a necessity, which is much less resource intense .
Plant based foods are cheaper
7/ Help from professional organisations
https://proveg.com/uk/ This fabulous organisation can help with this. They go, into schools, work with chefs, organise fun events for children, help those delivering more plant based meals with the importance of messaging, and much more.
They can provide menu consultation packages to suit the needs of each council. This includes menu planning, recipe ideas, chef training, impact assessments, parent communications, and PR support.
Home - Plant Based Health Professionals UK Health professionals who can help
Feed Our Future: Plant Based Meals In Schools Useful web site
8/ Our Local MP
We wrote to our MP Caroline Lucas in January 2021 about this. A quote from her email:
“I think we need to utterly transform our food production systems. In my work as your MP I will be using the remaining stages of the Environment Bill to advocate for a food production system designed to maximise human health, animal health and the health of our ecosystems.”
9/ Youtube video
Please wach the video - https://youtu.be/dcVC4RmEJZA
Brighton & Hove City Council
Council
4.30pm 25 March 2021
Virtual
MINUTES
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Present: Councillors Robins (Chair), Mears (Deputy Chair), Allcock, Appich, Atkinson, Bagaeen, Barnett, Bell, Brennan, Brown, Childs, Clare, Davis, Deane, Druitt, Ebel, Evans, Fishleigh, Fowler, Gibson, Grimshaw, Hamilton, Heley, Henry, Hills, Hugh-Jones, Janio, Knight, Lewry, Littman, Lloyd, Mac Cafferty, McNair, Miller, Moonan, Nemeth, Nield, O'Quinn, Osborne, Peltzer Dunn, Phillips, Pissaridou, Platts, Powell, Rainey, Shanks, Simson, C Theobald, West, Wilkinson, Williams and Yates.
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PART ONE
121 DEPUTATIONS FROM MEMBERS OF the PUBLIC
(1) Deputation concerning CLIMATE CHANGE AND PLANT BASED DAYS IN SCHOOLS
121.1 The Mayor reported that five deputations had been received from members of the public and that he would invite the spokespersons to introduce their deputation and for the relevant Chair to respond. He noted that 15 minutes were set aside for the consideration of deputations.
121.2 The Mayor invited Ms Alison Plaumer as the spokesperson for the first deputation to come forward and address the council. The deputation related to climate change and having plant-based days in schools in Brighton and Hove.
121.3 Ms Plaumer spoke on the deputation relating to the issue of climate change and having plant-based days in schools.
121.4 Councillor Hills thanked Ms Plaumer for her deputation and stated that she fully supported the aims outlined and hoped that the committee would give it full consideration.
121.5 The Mayor thanked Ms Plaumer for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation. He explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to the Children, Young People & Skills Committee for consideration. The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.
121.6 RESOLVED: That the deputation be noted and referred to the Children, Young People & Skills Committee.